January 27, 2016, Introduced by Reps. Moss, Sarah Roberts, Greig, Irwin, LaVoy, Chirkun, Singh, Gay-Dagnogo, Chang, Pagan, Love, Plawecki, Lucido, Webber and Wittenberg and referred to the Committee on Energy Policy.
A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled
"Natural resources and environmental protection act,"
by amending section 61506b (MCL 324.61506b), as added by 1998 PA
303.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 61506b. (1) Except as provided in subsections (2) and
(3),
beginning on the effective date of this section, the
supervisor shall not issue a permit for or authorize the drilling
of
an oil or gas well if both of the following apply:
(a)
The well is in a county with
a population of 750,000 or
more unless all of the following conditions are met:
(a)
The proposed well will be located within
450 at least
2,000
feet of from a
residential building.
(b)
The residential building is located in a city or township
with
a population of 70,000 or more.
(b) The location of the proposed well and the operation of the
proposed well will be in compliance with applicable local
ordinances.
(c) The department has held a public hearing in the city,
village, or township in which the proposed well is located and has
considered the public input from that public hearing.
(2) The supervisor may grant a waiver from the requirement of
subsection (1)(a) if the clerk of the city, village, or township in
which the proposed well is located has been notified of the
application for a permit for the proposed well and if either of the
following conditions is met:
(a) The owner or owners of all residential buildings located
within
450 2,000 feet of the proposed well give written consent.
(b) The supervisor determines, pursuant to a public hearing
held before the waiver is granted, that the proposed well location
will not cause waste and there is no reasonable alternative for the
location of the well that will allow the oil and gas rights holder
to develop the oil and gas.
(3) Subsection (1) does not apply to a well utilized for the
injection, withdrawal, and observation of the storage of natural
gas pursuant to this part.
Enacting section 1. This amendatory act takes effect 90 days
after the date it is enacted into law.